Device for expanding and contracting demountable rims



1930. A. 1.. GOLDSMITH ET AL 1,784,283

DEVICE FOR EXPANDING AND CONTRACTING DEMQUNTABLE RIMS Filed Feb. 20, 1930 W ll,

Patented Dec. 9, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT Bossier.

ABRAHAM LAWRENCE GOLDSMITH AND PERLEY WHITING ROGERS, OF ORONO, MAINE DEVICE FOR EXPANDING AND CONTRACTING DEMOUN'IABLE RIMS Application filed February 20, 1930. Serial No. 429,898.

The object of this invention is to provide a simple, easily operated and effective tool adapted to be used by a layman or person of limited mechanical experience in automobile work, to expand and contract a demountable rim of the special construction hereinafter described, the tool being adapted to be maintained in its operative position on the rim wholly by frictional engagement therewith, without the employment of positive engaging means requiring manipulation after the tool is placed in position on the rim, so that the tool may be quickly and conveniently installed and removed.

Of the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification,- I

Figure 1 is a side view of the tool and an edge view of a portion of a demountable rim, the tool being conditioned to contract the rim. Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1, showing the tool conditionedto expand the rim.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the tool.

Figure 4 is a sectional view of one of the nuts shown by the preceding figures.

' Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective view, showing a portion of the rod shown by Figures 1, 2and 3. W

Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspectlve view, showing a portion of the rim.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all of the figures.

12 designates a portion of a demountable rim,'transversely split at 13, and having fixed members projecting from its inner side forming abutment faces 14, 14 of channels located at opposite sides of the split and extending crosswise of the rim, said walls are hereinafter called abutment faces. There are two pairs of members, those of one pair being designated by 15 and fixed on the rim, at one side of the split, while those of the other pair aredesignated by 16 and 17, and are fixed on the rim at the opposite side of the split. Each of said members may be welded, bolted or riveted to the rim, and each, excepting the member 16, may be integralparts of the rim and pressed outwardlyfrom the inner surface thereof. We have conventionally designated by the reference character 18,,fastening means securing said members to the rim. 18

may be supposed to designate either rivets or spot welding. The member 16 is, in this instance, secured at one end by fastening means 18 to the rim at one side ofthe split 13, its other end projecting across the split and being detachably secured to the rim by a headed screw 19 inserted in coinciding tapped orifices in the member 16 and in the rim, the bolt being inserted to confine the sides of the split together when the rim is contracted, and removed to permit the expansion of the rim as indicated by Figures 2 and 6.

Our improved tool is adapted'for use with Y a rim constructed as above described.

'12, and includes an inwardly facing central face 220 adapted to bear on the rim, and two outwardly facing side faces 221, at opposite sides of the central face, substantially parallel with eachother and adapted to bear on the undercut walls 14, V V y The tool comprises also means for exerting pressure on the lugs in opposite directions, to either increase or decrease the distance between the lugs and thereby expand and contract the tool. Said pressure is exerted on the undercut channel walls 14, and imparted to the end portions of the rim to expand the latter, as shown by Figure 2, and contract it, as shown by Figure 1.

In the present instance, I embody the means for exerting pressure on the lugs in opposite directions, as next described.

25 designates a screw-threaded rod pivoted by a pin 26 to one of the lugs 20, and extending loosely through a slot 27 in the other lug the slotted lug having opposite abutment faces. 28 designates an inner nut engaged with said rod between the lugs and adjustable to exert pressure on one of said abutment faces, and thereby expand the tool andrim, as

rim by the abutmentfaces 14, 14"., andare adapted to impart to the rim the expanding and contracting pressure exerted on the lugs.

When'said pressure is relaxechthe gibs, confined between the abutment faces wholly by friction, permit the removal offlthe tool from the rim.

It will be seen that whenthe tool is used with a rim having the undercut. abutment faces 14, 14", the lug gibs requirelno securing means other than said faces, so that the :tool may be rendered operative bysimpl-y sliding the gibs to place'between the abutmentfaces.

Loss of time by manipulatingfastening.Ede-

vices is therefore eliminated. u The slotted lug 20is' confined on-therod by thezouter nutl29, whenthe tool isinot in use, so that when the tool is stored ina toolbox, its 7 parts remain connected and :thetool may be quickly conditioned foruse. Thepivotal'com nection of one of, the lugs to the inner endfof 2;, the rod 25, and therod-reoeiving slot 27 in the other lug, permit the gib; ends of'the lugs to swing inwardly toward the rod and thus ire- I duce the tool to relatively compact foirm-ifor storage. I V a o Each of said nuts preferably, includes a wrench-engaging portion 30, ,andaiportion 31 having wings 32, so that the nut may be manually turned, either by a wrench or by hand.

The pivoted end'ofthe rod is preferably provided with a -head.33,having flat sides 34' bearing on fiat sides ofsa slot35 in the lug to which the rod is pivoted, said bearing opposing turning movement of the. rod on its 1on gitudinal axis by rotation of a nut thereon, and preventing liability of shearing strain on the pin26. I I

It willbe seen that the tool is adapted to engage two pairs of abutment faces 14,143, extendingcrosswise on the inner side ofasplit rim, one pair being at one side, andthe other at the opposite sideof the split. 7

It will also be seen that the tool comprises a pairof lugs 20, having two gibs 22 complemental to and sli'dable between said abutment faces in a'di rectioncrosswise'of the-rim, and

us Figures 1 and 2.

lug, and the inner and outer nuts 31' engaged thereby expand the rims, as indicated by Figu're'2, and pull'the lugs toward each other and pushing pressure on one abutmentface of;

the-rim, said-means including a screw- It will be seen, further, 7 that the 'screwthreaded rod 2 5, pivoted to one of the lugs and extending loosely through a slot in the other with said rod, constitute a suitable embodi ment of pushing and pulling means organized .to push the lugs away from each other and-cause the gibs to exert outward pressure on vtheiabutment faces 14 of each pair, and

causethe gibs to exert inward pressure on the abutmentfaces14 of each pair, and thereby contract the rim, as indicated in Figure 1. The interengagement of the gibs with the abutment faces 14 and 14 is such that the "tool is firmly and releasabl-y'maintained in :itelop; erative position wholly by friction, midis adapted to be installed and Zremoved 'bywthe simple operations of sliding the gibs into-and 55 out :of the channels formed by the abutment faces and theintermediate POI'tIlOIlSOfrthG riin,there being no loss of time, such as would be involved if positive fastening devices were employed; V

We claim; 7 1. 'A'pushin and pulling tool adapted to engageipairs o undercut ;abutment facesextending crosswise on the inner-side of a split rimiat opposite sides-ofthe-split, said :tool comprising a pair oflugshaving gibs com-. plemental to, and slidable between said abut- Incntv faces and adapted to cooperate there; with 'inpmaintainin'g the lugs substantially Y perpendicular to portions'of said rim,-and in position to exert pushing and pulling force on said abutment 'faces, and pushing and pulling meansbrgahizedto. push, the lugs from eachother and cause the gibs to exert each pairiand thereby expand the rim :and to pull the lugs toward each otherto cause/the gibsztolexertpulling; pressure on another abutment face 'o each pair and thereby contract threaded rod pivoted ationeiend to'one ofthe lugs and extending loosely througha slot in the other lug, an inner nut engaged with the rodbetween the'lugs andadaptedto exert I pushing pressure on one side of, the slotted 21:15 lug and therebyexpand the rim, andan outer .nut engaged with the rod and adapted to exert pulling pressure on-the opposite :side

of the slotted lug and therebycause contraction of the rim, eachnut being displaceable 0120 from its operativepositionto permit the operation of the other nut; the effect of the rod and nut connection being to transmit either the pushing or the pulling force at right angles to said lugs.

2.. A pushing and pulling tool ,adapted to engage pairs of undercut abutmentfaceseab tending crosswise on the inner side of asplit rim at opposite sides of the split,.sa-idytool comprising a pair of lugsthavinggibs. com-e230 plemental to and slidable between said abutment faces and adapted to cooperate therewith in maintaining the lugs substantially pulling means organized to push the lugs.

from each other and cause the gibs to exert pushing pressure on one abutment face of each pair and thereby expand the rim and to pull the lugs toward each other to cause the gibs to exert pulling pressure on another abutment face of each pair and thereby contract the rim, said means including a screwthreaded rod pivoted at one end to one of the lugs and extending loosely through a slot in the other lug, an inner abutment engaged with the rod and adapted to exert pushing pressure on the opposite side of the slotted lug and thereby cause expansion of the rim, an outer abutment engaged with the rod and adapted to exert pulling pressure on the opposite side of the slotted lug and thereby cause contraction of the rim, said abutments being threadedly adjustable along said rod; the effect being to transmit either the pushing or pulling force at right angles to said lugs. In testimony whereof we have affixed our signatures.

ABRAHAM LAWRENCE GOLDSMITH. PERLEY WHITING ROGERS. 

